Two Killed In One Week by Brightline Train in Boynton Beach

At least two people were killed this month by Brightline trains traveling through Boynton Beach. According to officials with Brightline, the incidents, which took place less than a week apart, were both accidents.

The first of these deaths happened several weeks ago on a Friday. A woman, identified as the 32-year-old Lavell, was on foot and close to the intersection of Northeast Sixth Avenue and Boynton Beach Boulevard when she approached the area where the train tracks cross the street. At the time that she reached the crossing, the safety gate indicating the proximity of an approaching train was lowered. Despite this warning, Lavell continued on her way. She was struck and killed by the train before she made it to the other side of the railroad tracks.

The most recent death happened several weeks ago, on the following Wednesday, when a man, who was not named in the initial report, was riding a bicycle down Ocean Avenue’s 400 block. It is not exactly clear how it happened, but it seems as though the train collided with the cyclist and killed him instantly. The report from the Boynton Beach Police Department did not indicate whether or not the cyclist had reached a place on the road where the tracks and the asphalt cross or if he had strayed too far off of the designated path and close enough to the tracks for the train to clip him as it passed. Regardless, he was declared dead at the scene of the accident.

Authorities with the Boynton Beach Police Department and the Brightline train are now working together to try and ascertain why these two deaths happened and whether or not it is a fault with the train line or some other circumstance. The Brightline train is a relatively new transportation option which is meant to connect areas in southern Florida with the Orlando area. Testing of this train line began in 2017, and during that time, two individuals, an 18-year-old and a 35-year-old were killed.

An investigation into the two incidents this month is underway.

James O. Cunningham

Since 1977, personal injury lawyer James Cunningham has provided effective legal advocacy to people who are injured through the negligent actions of another person or entity throughout the Central Florida area. He fights to obtain recoveries for his clients’ physical and emotional pain and suffering and pursues his clients’ personal injury cases with a commitment to excellence and impeccable preparation.